Pentecost 13 2010

You Have Knitted My Innermost Parts

Introduction

Once upon a time, a long time ago in the city state of Athens, some people began to think about the ways of the world. “Why are we here?” “What is the sky made of?” “Is there a difference between a rock and a tree?” and other such questions seemed to occupy the Ancient Greeks more than the rest of us.

To be fair, maybe they just wrote more books. I am sure people in China, Peru, Greenland and North America were also looking up at the stars and saying, “What do you think those are?”

We go through life asking a lot of questions as well. It seems to start as soon as we can express ourselves when our favourite word becomes “Why?”

This, my friends, is this simple definition of philosophy; it is the human’s attempt to answer all of those “why” questions.

Have you ever thought what you would come up with if left to your own devices? If school , parents, church and friends did not influence your decisions, could you answer “Why are we here?” or even “What are the stars?”

The Indo European Way

So where did all this thinking lead everyone? Well – to many explanations about human reason, and what it is possible to know is “true”... You see, Greek Classical Philosophy sort of ended up being summarized by Rene Descartes when he said, “I think, therefore I am.”

The one argument I would have against it, is it was all in their heads. It was all personal. It was all about what we imagine to be true being truer than what is around us each and every day...

Alexander the Great spread the Greek culture and philosophy further than we might realize; from Western Europe right through to Asia. And religion became influenced by this way of thinking... the gods were absent, but powerful, and the duty of all us followers was to meditate, to know the truth, to understand...

But there was another way of thinking out there – another way of understanding life – not just as “thinking” but life as “being”; the Semitic way of thinking. Here we are taking about the Arabic and Jewish way of seeing God as connected to us in a very real, very deep, very physical way. “Before I knew you, you knit me together in my mother’s womb.”

This is not Zeus up on Mt Olympus playing chess. This is the God who counts hairs on people’s heads, who watches tiny sparrows playing in the wind – who has a hand, as it were, in the world.

All of the Psalms are written to this personal God. They still ask the why question, but they are asking it in the same way we might ask a parent. “Why did you let me do that?” “Why weren’t you there when...”

Sound familiar? Well, although our roots started in the Greek camp, Jerusalem won the day in our thinking about faith.

So do you do that? Do you ask ‘Why’ in a very personal way to God? Do you expect an answer?

Putting the Mystery Back

Of course – God does not answer, or the answers are not what we would like to hear, or the universe is just tricksy and bad things do happen to bad people.

Our tradition reserves the right to keep a little mystery. The Bible is chock full of times and places when we strive to understand God and are left with no answers. Moses wants to see God’s face and is told he can only see the “backside” after God has passed by. Elijah wants to be reassured by God and ends up in a cave in the hills where he hears the “still, small voice of God in the silence. Job, after losing everything, questions God’s wisdom in all of this and ends up, essentially, being told – where you there when I made the oceans, or measured the mountains? No? Then stop asking dumb questions.

And here today, a hundred years after Jesus death, give or take, we read in the book of Hebrews that we have come to something that cannot be touched – that cannot be explained. God is like a consuming fire; impossible to get close to.

It’s like this; for thousands and thousands of years we have definitely wanted answers. The wisest of the wise know that there are some answers we are just never, ever, going to get. Whether it is that we are too young, too undeveloped, too arrogant, too close minded... whatever you want to think – the thing is that there are some things that are impossible to figure out.

There is a story about Oliver Wendell Holmes, Senior, who was a doctor. As such he was very interested in the use of ether. In order to know how his patients felt under its influence, he once had a dose administered to himself.

As he was going under, in a dreamy state, a profound thought came to him. He believed that he had suddenly grasped the key to all the mysteries of the universe. When he regained consciousness, however, he was unable to remember what the insight was.

Because of the great importance this thought would be to mankind, Holmes arranged to have himself given either again. This time he had a stenographer present to take down the great thought. The either was administered, and sure enough, just before passing out the insight reappeared. He mumbled the words, the stenographer took them down, and he went to sleep confident in the knowledge that he had succeeded.

Upon awakening, he turned eagerly to the stenographer and asked her to read what he had uttered. This is what she read: "The entire universe is permeated with a strong odour of turpentine."

There are some things we are just not meant to know.

Jesus

Ok so why all this philosophy after a weekend when most of us probably went to the beach, or BBQ’d or kayaked or otherwise enjoyed the sunshine?

Well because humanity has developed two complete religious systems: one based on classical greek philosophy which emerged as Buddhism, Taoism, Shintoism, Shamanism, Norse and Roman and of course, Greek mythology... From this way of thinking humans exist for the sake of humanity. Our greatest good is to become the best individual we can. The way to religious truth is to “know thyself” as completely as possible....

The second stream, the Semitic, classified mostly by Judaism, Christianity and Islam, says that humans exist for the sake of God. The greatest good is to follow God as closely as possible. The way to religious truth is to open yourself up to the voice of God....

They are all leading to the same place – and as systems, they both will ultimately fail.

So what is the answer? Well, as Buddha, Ghandi, Confucius, Mohammed, and even Jesus would tell their followers – the true path is the path in which you recognize your neighbour, and your God, as intimately connected to yourself.

This is the ultimate point of the healing of the woman on the Sabbath... a woman is in need... God would help that woman no matter what day it was.... so should you.

You see – the point is not what we think – it never was – the point is what we do. That’s what we need to start hearing clearly again...

Conclusion

The rich young man came to Jesus, he had studied all manner of philosophy, he had gone to all kinds of churches, he had even gone to Bible Study faithfully... now what did he have to do? Go, sell all he had, give it to the poor, and start doing what Jesus was doing.... stop thinking and start doing...

“Why are we here?” who knows, we are, now dig in. That, ultimately, is what the voice of God sounds like.

Pentecost 12 C

{you may notice that the sermons now have "parts" for those curious about this - the parts are spread out through the service. In other words, there is no "20 minute sermon" there are four places where we reflect on the theme... it is an interesting change...}

SETTING FIRE TO THE EARTH

Introduction

Once more we head into difficult Biblical passages. I don’t k now what the people were thinking when they designed this lectionary cycle... after all, isn’t it supposed to be a restful season? Aren’t we supposed to be reassured and sent on our merry way?

After all, God loves us, right? And Jesus is tender meek and mild, right?

And they don’t... expect anything of us.... right?

Ah, but then there is the pesky vineyard images... I tell you, beware if anyone ever starts to tell you about a vineyard – they never go well... Way back in Isaiah we have the prophet asking a question – what would you do if you planted a vineyard and expected grapes and it went wild?

What would you do if you called a congregation together and they just got worse?

What would you do if someone said they were a Christian and jsut got more and more wild?

This is our philosophical starting place for the day – a reality check... God is not all love and kisses, kindness and warm fuzzies. God is God... and we are Gods, and there is a responsibility there – so what is it?

Building on the Promises

A but God keeps coming back – right? I don’t know if you have ever stopped and noticed this – but one of the first things we do in the Communion liturgy is to recite some sort of history of how God saved us over and over and over again.

There are different ones – built Noah and ark, gave Sarah and Abraham children, gave us kings and rulers to govern us like David and Solomon...

It is a very Jewish thing to do, part of our 6,000 year old heritage in which we recognize that despite ourselves, God is always there to save us. In fact, God keeps finding new and better ways to bring us closer – like Jesus, send a messenger who is so full of God’s spirit that we just have to get the point – that would work, right?

Well, again, most of us now, 2000 years later, have completely forgotten what Jesus was like. What we have to remember is that Jesus was the type of guy who got everyone mad at him... disciples, Romans, Jewish authorities; common people in Galilee... in the end, almost everyone had a reason to be against him.

Perhaps that has something to do with the fact that we all want the world to work a certain way – our way...

His original followers were so disappointed in him when he was not the type of Messiah they wanted; the one who would go and wage war and take power back by force from the Romans. Jesus disappointed them and some refused to follow him because of that, others betrayed him because of that.

Here is a question we never consider in the midst of that – what would Jesus feel like? What would God feel like when he saw this playing out?

Would the Real Jesus Please Stand Up

So here is where it gets interesting – you see? This is the Jesus who is fed up with what he sees all around him. He is tired of looking at the poverty, dried up and empty souls, people choosing sides just to be on the winning side instead of the side of justice. Fed up with the fighting and wars, powers of domination and control where people are not free to think for themselves and come to their own conclusions.

And so we hear a Jesus who tells the people around him that he has not come to bring peace. He has not come to just stand there and be silent and happy about a world where people don’t experience mercy, compassion, or justice.

No this Jesus, our Jesus did not come to be silent and let things continue the way they always have. This Jesus, our Jesus has come to bring relationships of mercy, compassion, justice, between God and humanity, and humanity itself.

And we all know that not everybody wants peace and harmony. It is bad for business. So is equality. So is justice for that matter.

Jesus never once said to anyone – you know what – this is perfect just the way it is... and he certainly would not be saying it today. He would not be saying it in the midst of the poverty we have all around us right here in Moncton; he would not be saying it in a country where there are still different “types” of people who get more and less respect. He would not be saying things are perfect when we as a country seem willing to turn back a boatload of refugees washed up on our West Coast.

He would not even say our church is perfect the way it is – would he?

You see, the gospel story is as true today as it was 2,000 years ago. It kind of sets us back on heels; and makes us ask, what is he saying and what does it mean to me??

Well it means the same today as it did then. Jesus told his disciples to go – baptise change people’s lives, help one another find freedom and new life. Follow his Way of life, his values, the values of God – values of the kingdom. Believe in him and follow.

In Jesus day to say you believe in something was to say “I subscribe to that”, I give my heart and my life for that. When we say we believe in Jesus are you prepared to be saying I would give my life for him by choosing to live and follow his Way? Are we willing to say that I will follow his teachings no matter the cost?

What has happened through history and distance from the Jesus who walked on this earth is that many of us have turned belief into a mental exercise saying – yes I believe in Jesus, I agree with what the bible says, he is God’s son etc. Well that is nice but what difference does that make in your life or in the life of anyone else. Jesus died following God’s way. Is it enough for us to say the words “I believe” or doesn’t his life and death mean more than that to us? Doesn’t his sacrifice mean more to us than simply saying I agree? He came to bring new life, freedom to all.

Conclusion

I believe that when challenged by the values of our society and the temptation to give into mass consumption, political efforts to win a debate, taking part in any system that harms the earth, harms the bodies or souls or neighbours, friends, or strangers, or even following what members of our family say in order to keep the peace – we have an obligation to stand for what we call the kingdom of God.

We, as Christians, are held accountable to the fact that we are meant to live a different set of values than those of our worlds.

I would love to see us get together and look at ways we can disentangle ourselves as individuals and Church from the structures and organizations that bind, control, and keep people from experiencing the freedom the Gospel offers.

I would love to be able to find the courage and strength, the conviction of faith to stand in the face of anything that denies mercy, compassion, love and justice and – speak against it, work against it, and live our lives as completely separate as possible from it.

Life is short, life us unpredictable. We need to help one another to embrace the gifts God has offered to us but they are not always easy to obtain. It takes effort, thought, and practice.

It also takes witness, and the retelling of stories of people who have followed Jesus Way despite the cost.

I would imagine that we all have people in our lives, that we have known or witnessed in history that we have seen stand against oppression and filled our lives with hope. Because we know that when we hear them speak and refuse to participate, or give their consent that they are right, we feel it in our gut and in our hearts. Jesus is one of many – there many teachers out there on how to stay faithful to the Way.

What would it be like if we would share those stories (about ourselves or those we admire), and encourage others to do the same. Wouldn’t we make a difference in this community and world?

We are told that Jesus said to go and baptize – go and make followers of me, he said. Go teach and encourage people to not give into the status quo but together in your communities of faith stand for what is right, work for what is compassionate and good and the entire world will know of the glory and goodness of God.

Pentecost 11 - C

The Assurance of Things Hoped For

I have a three year old and a five year old.

I have been on vacation with them for exactly four weeks.

I have learned a lot about the Bible.

PART ONE – Isaiah

“Enough of your burnt offerings – enough of your blood sacrifices!”

Rachael, in that entirely new to the world way, has learned the application of the word “Sorry.” What she lacks is a sense of remorse.

Over the last few weeks I have witnessed her say sorry for hitting her sister, and then continue to hit her. I have seen her say sorry for getting angry and then yell for the same thing. In fact, it appears sometimes that she says sorry first as a way of doing what she wants. This is especially true of shoes. She often says sorry to her older sister for borrowing her shoes right before she goes to the closet and gets them.

Let me make it clear that there is no way she is at fault – she just has not developed a sense of morality or guilt to the point where she could connect actions and reactions. Nor should she have – in her it is cute.

In you and me... not so cute.

This is exactly God’s point, says the prophet Isaiah – Stop with the offerings and incense, stop with the sacrifice and festivals... “Learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow...”

In other word’s = grow up; it is not about saying you are sorry, it is about not hitting your sister in the first place. It is not about praying that someone do something about world hunger, it is about growing a garden and giving the food to the foodbank...

The point is not what we say we are going to do – the point is doping what we ought.

PART TWO – Hebrews

My daughters love Marshmallows. Last summer their grandparents introduced them to the idea of campfires “needing” to have marshmallows (thank you very much for that)... and ever since one of their favourite treats is in fact the gooey sponge of sugar we call the marshmallow.

Now – there are often long stretches of time when the marshmallow tree in our house is barren. But this does not deter them from believing they can get one when they ask.

It is actually incredible and goes something like this.

“Can I have a marshmallow?”

“We don’t have any.”

“I need a marshmallow.”

“I can’t give you one, there are none.”

“I need a marshmallow.”

After which you try reasoning, you open the cupboard to show it bare, and FINALLY convince her there are no marshmallows.

“So, later then,” she says and nods her head.

Later could be five minutes to five hours... but the thought that I can provide marshmallows on demand never leaves her head. She hopes for marshmallows, and she trusts that they will be provided.

The unfortunate thing is that I know somewhere in the life of my children they will lose this sense of the goodness of the universe. They will be disappointed, their hearts will be broken, something will become “unfixable” and in that moment – they, and I, will experience a little death.

Why can’t we live in hope? Why do we have to start seeing the dark side of life rear its ugly head so early; and allow it to take away the joy we find? I don’t know the answer... and it is in fact one of those things I fight against in myself every single day...

It is also exactly what the author of Hebrews is talking about:

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

Then he talks about all the faithful characters in the Bible like Abraham and concludes:

“All of these died in faith without having received the promises, but from a distance they saw and greeted them... they were not thinking of the land they left behind, they were seeking something better...”

So to be faithful is not so very different than working continuously to bring marshmallows into the house while fully believing they will come one day.

The lesson from my kids, and from Hebrews, is to keep believing the promises are true – even when the evidence makes it hard... believe the world could and will be better... and live faithfully towards that goal...

It might take generations. But we will get there.

PART THREE – Luke

My oldest daughter Emily has been known to get up after we put her to bed and secretly get dressed.

Sometimes in the morning she is wearing a part dress. Sometimes it is play clothes. A few times it turns out to be a swim suit.

She is ready.

It makes it a whole lot easier; let me tell you, then trying to pry out of them what they would like to do today... “A party dress, I see we are celebrating...” and then we can work out what exactly we are celebrating!

Like it or not, the world brings things into your life. It could be a sunny day, a rainstorm, a friend popping by, a sudden death, sickness, or unexpected wealth.

The question Jesus asks of his followers is simple, “Are you ready!”

My daughter has convinced me that it is as simple as having the right thing to wear. We try to make it more difficult – we try to ask all sorts of questions, and prepare, and plan and... Well – the unexpected happens anyway.

A lot of what Jesus was trying to say was that life is as simple as “It is sunny, here is a river, we have a swimsuit, let’s enjoy it!”

I don’t mean to minimize pain and hardship in any way – a lot of things in life hurt us... and there are holes there that can never be filled. But the truth is, those things are going to happen to us all – some tragically, some unexpectedly, some sooner, and some later... Be prepared and live your life anyway.

In the book, “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” there is some advice I will never forget. The author rather bluntly says that we should speak to everyone as if they will unexpectedly die before we get the chance to talk to them again.

Imagine that – imagine how you would change your tone, your parting words, if they were to be your last...

Being faithful is about living life as if anything could happen – and diving right in – and enjoying what God has put before you as best you can – and knowing that the hard times are there anyway...

Conclusion

SO there you have it – religious lessons from Toddlers:

• · Saying you are sorry only counts if you try to change.

• · Someday there will be Marshmallows.

• · Wearing a party dress to bed pretty much assures a party the next day.

OR, if you really need it in religious terms:

• · It is by our actions that we show our faithfulness.

• · Hope is the assurance of things we might never see, but believe in nonetheless.

• · Live your life prepared for whatever God brings your way next.

It was not for nothing that Jesus said unless you become like a little child you cannot enter the Kingdom.

The fact of the matter is that little children are the only ones who LIVE in the kingdom. They see the wonder of the world. They can watch a spider spin a web and be amazed, they believe that promises will be fulfilled, they trust in the world’s goodness, they would help a stranger if they were crying, they laugh more than they cry.

Time to start living like them again – then we will be helping Jesus out.